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Humane Euthanization of Goldfish

Humane Euthanization of Goldfish

Most goldfish get sick at one time or another, and whatever ails your
fish, it's difficult to know if its going to improve with the proper
care and time, or if it's just going to decline; getting worse with each passing
day. It's very difficult to know when and if it's the right time to euthanize a
sick fish.

You may hear someone say, just let nature take its course, but in the wild, a
sick fish will quickly fall prey to a large and healthy one; it won't suffer for
long. In captivity, our fish can linger for weeks, even months before passing.
We all have to use our own good judgment here; trust our instincts.

Euthanizing a goldfish can be relatively easy and painless; for the fish that is. Goldfish
become dormant in colder temperatures; being a cold water fish it has no core body temperature.
Its
temperature is always the same as its environment. This can be a distinct
advantage for the goldfish keeper. In a natural environment, the water temperatures may fall below freezing
temperatures. Although they cannot survive being frozen solid for long periods
of time, they can survive close to freezing temperatures for an unlimited time.
Reason being, their organs shut down and they no longer require food or oxygen;
much like a bear in hibernation. You may think this would be painful for the
goldfish, but keep in mind, only warm blooded creatures, such as dogs, cats, and
humans alike find cold temperatures painful.

Euthanizing goldfish

1. Scoop up the fish along with tank or pond water in a large disposable
container; one that is opaque (for discretion) instead of translucent. Do not
cover

Container should be proportionately sized so that the fish can swim around a bit

2. Place in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, so that the fish will become
completely dormant.

4. Cover and place the container in the freezer for a minimum 36 hours.

5. Dispose of container at your discretion

On rare occasions, goldfish have been known to come back from the dead. Read the
story of how one goldfish leaped from its tank and was found dried out; rock
hard hours later, only to come back to life when returned to its tank.
Fish Out of
Water There are many such goldfish stories. Every creature big or
small has a very strong survival instinct. Euthanizing is often a very tough decision to make. Consider this option only when there's no chance for life, and
their suffering is too much for the both of you.